Long queues of voters witnessed at Dhangri village polling stations

Rajouri, May 25: Long queues of voters were witnessed at Dhangri village polling stations in Rajouri district.

January 1 last year still a nightmare for the people of Dhangri village Rajouri as terrorists targeted minority families of the village killing seven civilians including two children and injuring 13 person.

This incidents spread large scale tragic wave in the area and the attack shook the country.

The remnants of this attack, which is considered as the deadliest terror attack on civil population in this decade so far, are still prevalent in the area and people from the victim families are demanding stringent action against those involved in this attack. Although the village is yet to come out of this nightmare but people on Saturday visited their polling stations and exercised their franchise with aim to strengthen democracy.

" January 1 is still the most horrific day for us as we lost seven of our men in the attack," Bal Krishan Sharma of the village said.

Sharma is a VDC member who was also honoured by Government authorities after the attack as he was the first man to fire on terrorists and it is believed that he prevented more attack that day. " Today is festival of democracy and despite after fear, we have visited our polling station in large numbers and cast our vote," Sharma said.

Saroj Bala, a woman who lost both her sons Deepak and Prince in this deadly terror strike, also visited the polling station of this village. The polling station was established at Government Higher Secondary School Dhangri wherein she casted her vote.

"I am deeply pained as both my sons were accompanying me during last polls but they are not with me this time," said Saroj who ,however, added that she considers voting as her fundamental duty and for which she visited the polling station.

" I still await for some part of justice for which I remain on longer heads with Government but voting is everyone's fundamental duty and every citizen of the country should fulfill it," Bala said.

Dheeraj Sharma, Former Sarpanch of village told that Dhangri village is name of a tragedy that can never be wiped. "No one can forget Dhangri terror tragedy and scars of this deadly terrorist strike are still alive but people from all the houses of the village have reached the polling station to cast the vote and have presented a colourful picture of democracy," Sharma said.